Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-05-05

robbery had been committed within its
immediate precincts. Just at twilight,
as neighboring nobleman. frequent
guest of the house, was traversing the
customary road through the forest,
gun-barrel was suddenly thrust be-
tween the thick bushes. while a deep,
hoarse voice cried sternly:
HALT Your money or your life!'
Feeling no desire, as the nobleman
afterward explained, to yield his life
for the sake of few louis dor, he in
stantly threw his purse upon the ground
and dashed off without Venturing to
look back.
Robberies, or serious crimes of any
| kind, were of rare occurrence in Linn
| ousin, and less frequently still were
| they ever traceable to the quiet inhab-
itants, but almost invariably to high
waymen, from a distance, passing
| through the province. 1t was at once
| surmised, therefore, that this audacious
deed must be the work of some such
intruder. and Count de Saiilant gave
wholesale instruction to spare no effort
in the discovery of the depredator; but
all in vain. No trace of the bold
marauder rewarded their search.
| But what was the astonishment,
alarm and CONSERVATION of the whole
community when, in quick succession,
robbery after robbery of the same ma
ture followed, each and all committed
in the same mysterious manner, always
at twilight, on the forest road, and the
base attack always confined to the
i xunaIthu int, fa IF bo
castle. Within fortnight no less than
eight of these fearless assaults had
been successfully accomplished. as
guests went to or from the Counts
residence, the closest investigation and
vigilance proving utterly futile to dis
cover the expert highwayman.
| And not one of the victims had either
possessed the courage, or thought it
wise, to show fight; obeying the man
date of the imperiOus voice, each in
turn had with alacrity resigned his
purse. A few, it is true, had mani
tested sufficient bravery to look back
in their hasty flight, and were thus en-
abled to give some information con-
corning the appearance of the sconn-
drel rs he stepped forward to take pos
session of his booty; and in every
instance he was depicted as a man of
gigantic size, wearing mask-a kind
of demon in human form. upon whom,
it was evident, a pistol shot or sword
thrust would prove harmless. Some
had even been armed at the time of at
tack, but considered it useless to avail
themselves of the advantage.
| COupt Mira ham lannhad haafti1u
over the stories of the bandit, and
rallied numerically the faint-hearted
knights of L;mousin for thus permit
ting themselves to be plundered by a
country vagabond; but they resolutely
rejoined that he would prove no more
courageous than they, if once at
tackled. In vain Mirabeau assured
them that he roamed the forest daily,
hoping to encounter the mysterious
freebooter, and that nothing would
afford him greater pleasure: than a
meeting, when he would engage to de-
liver him prisoner at the castle.
Meanwhile the proper authorities
were by no means dilatOry or negligent;
every effort was diligently employed to
discover the author of the outrages,
but in vain. He remained enshrouded
in impenetrable mystery.
1t was late in the evening of the fif-
teenth of November that the Marquis
of Charras, worthy nobleman, of
middle age, rode slowly on his way to
Castle Saillant. Twilight had already
fallen on the forest; it was perfectly
still, and the stars shining screnely
overhead, while the full moon rose in
majestic beauty, lighting the trees
with fantastic splendor, as the falling
leaves tloated silently from the dying
branches.
The insecurity of the path he travelled
was we'll known to the Marquis, and,
advancing deeper into the woods, he
spurred his horse to faster speed, in
wardly wishing that he had not VEN
tured thus into the solitude alone.
Nor did the wish prove "a needless
one; scarcely had he proceeded hum
dred steps further when the click of a
gun hammer startled him, and the next
instant the muzzle of the weapon was
bearing close upon him, while dark
form suddenly appeared beneath a
towering oak, and in u calm, resolute
voice ordered:
.'Halt! Your purse, my lord, or you
stir not further!''
Instantly the Marquis realized that
he stood faced by the same dilemma
ruthlessly forced upon many before
him, and quite as reluctant as they to
sacrifice his life for the small sum he
carried, scornfully cast his purse upon
the ground. riding slowly forward. but
saying, as he did so:
You follow risky trade, fellow; I
warrant it will yet bring you to the
gallowsr'
| That's NV risk replied the hioh-